Number wheel game with recording attachment



Sept' 6, 1949. w. J. BALAUN l 2,481,277

NUMBER WHEEL GAME WITH RECORDING ATTACHMENT M v (lttornegs Sept. 6, 1949. w. J. BALAUN 2,481,277

y NUMBER WHEEL GAME WITH RECORDING ATTACHMENT Filed Feb. 4, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Brmentor BB William J. Balanza M ey%omeg Y Sept 6, 1949- w. J. BALAUN Y2,481,277

NUMBER WHEEL GAME WITH RECORDING ATTACHMENT Filed Feb. 4, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Bxwcntor SePt- 6, 1949- w. J. BALAUN 2,481,277-

NUMBER WHEEL GAME WITH RECORDING ATTACHMENT Filed Feb. 4, 194'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Snuentor William J Balai/m wm y@ y Gttomeg Patented Sept. 6, 1949 UNH-ED ystares .pars-NT orric'E.

NUMBER WHEEL GAME WITH RECORDING ATTACHMENT William J.. Banen, Akron, ohio Y Application February 4, 1947,. Serial No. 726,414

The invention relates to mechanicallyr operated games and'. more particularly to that type of game in which' the element of chance is emphasized.

Briefly invention contemplates the provision of a game: apparatus in the formof a spinning:v gameriir which' a, plurality' oi rotatable number wheels are set in motion by mechanical means and: which will' register a number when they come to a stopythe machine alsobeing provided with a paper tape upon which the operator may write a number before operating the machina, matching his' wits. against thek machine by making a guess of the number which will be registered upon the machinefwhen the numberl wheels come to a stop, means; also being provided tor automatically printing upon: the tape; the number which is registered upon the number Wheels with: each opera-- tionr of the'r machine so that a. written, record remains upon the tape of the number which the operator has' guessed beforeqoperating the ma* chine; and? the number which. is registered by the number wheels upon each opera-tion of the machine.

It is an object of the invention to provide a machine of this character iny which.I rotary number wheels are mechanically set intomotion and after a variable: period of time of rotation` are: brought to 'rest so as-to visually indicate or register a number having digits corresponding tothe number oi said wheels.

Another object is; to provide-:such a machine with means: for automatically printing upon a paper tapethe number Whiohis visually indicated by the number wheels.

A further Objectis to provide `a machine of this f character in: which each of; the number wheels is hollow and` provided around. its; interior with a series of: depressions:correspondingin number and position to: the` numbers upon: its peripheral surface, av meta-1. ballbeing located within the interior of eachhollowfnumber wheelzandltending to come to. rest at; they lowest possi-blel point within the wheel so as to always stop the wheel withoneof the depressions at the. bottom of the wheel so as to. assurey each wheel" coming; to.= restin position to: display one: oitn the-.numerals thereon through a sight'gl'ass or window` lin the housing of' the machine and: not ata point/between. such. numerals.

A; still further object is to prov-ide a rotatable printing wheel operatively connected to the rotatable number'wheels soas to print the numerals registered or. visuallyv ydisplayed by each:v wheel upon. coming to. resta-liter each rotation thereof.

Another object of the. invention is' toA provide such a machine in whi'clcxy means is provided V for 4 Claims. (Clr B4G-14:)

ther operator to first write a number upon the paper tape on which the printing wheels later print the number atwhich the number wheels come to rest.

Still another object isl to provide a machine of this character inwhich. after the number has been Written upon the: paper tape the. tape is automatically moved by the operationof the machine so asf to move4 the portion thereof having the Written number thereon to a point` where it is visible beneath a transparent, sight. glass or win dow but inaccessible from the exterior of the machine.

A further object of the invention istoprovide a machine of the character referred tov in1 which allA of the above mentioned operations arey automatically carried out in sequence after the actuating handle isoperated.

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from the drawings and following description, or which may belater referred to, may bev attained by `constructing the improved spinning game in the manner hereinafter described. in. detail: and illustrated. inA the accompanying drawings, in Which;..

Figure 1 is a perspective viewof a. machine constructed` in. accordance with the ,invention with the outer housing removed to yshow the operating mechanism;

Fig. 2 a verticalrsectionalview through the machine;

Fig. 3y a top plan view of. the machine with the housing thereon; and,

Fig. 4 a front elevation oithe complete machine withv the, housing thereon..

rlihe apparatus includesa frame comprising the base plate I0 and side: plates H@ upon which all of the movable parts of: the mechanism are mounted, as bestfshown in. Fig; lof the drawings, in whichv the base plate. andside plates are shown in dot and dash linesfor. the. purpose of more clearly illustrating all oftheworking parts of the machine.v y

Located within the uppen. rear portion of the frame is a shaft I2, upony which are independently kjournalled a plurality of spaced. number wheels i3', upon each of which is fixed asprocketvwheel I4. A shaft 1'5- is mounted between the side plates` l I, parallel to andl vforwardly of the number wheel shaft l2, and thev printing w-heels I6 are independently journalled thereon.

These printing Wheels correspond in number to the number wheels isand eachfprinting wheel has a` sprocket wheelf If'l.l xe'd: thereto and' con'- nected, as by the sprocketchainf i vrtofthesprocket wheel I4 of the corresponding number wheel so that when the number wheels are independently rotated upon their shaft each printing wheel will be rotated in unison with the corresponding number wheel.

Each number wheel has around its periphery a series of numerals from 1 to 9 and 0, and each printing Wheel has a corresponding series of raised or embossed numerals around its periphery in the form of printing type so as to print upon the paper tape I 9 as will be later described in detail.

'I'his paper tape is withdrawn from a stock roll 20, such as is common in adding machines, cash registers and similar apparatus, this stock roll being mounted upon the shaft 2l which may be journalled between the side plates II at the forward lower portion of the machine.

The paper tape I9 is withdrawn from the stock roll and passed up over the paper guide plate 22, mounted between the side plates II at the upper forward portion of the machine, and then passes downwardly in front of, and adjacent to, the printing wheels I6, over the paper guide roller 23 and is wound upon the used paper spool 24 which is journalled upon the shaft 25, the ends of which are slidably mounted in the horizontal slots 26 in the side plates I I.

Coil springs 21 are connected to the end portions of the shaft 25 as indicated at, 28 and eX- tend rearwardly and downwardly to the lower rear corner of the machine, the other ends of these coil springs being connected to the side plates II as indicated at 29, so as to normally urge the used paper spool rearwardly in the horizontal slots 26 and into contact with the rubber roll 38 which is journalled upon the main actuating shaft 3|, which shaft is journalled in the side plates II.

The operating lever 32 has an angular inturned elbow 33 at its lower end for rigid connection to the outer end of the main actuating shaft and may be provided with a knob or handle 34 at its upper end to be grasped by the operator to set the machine in operation as will be later fully described in detail.

The main actuating arm 35 is rigidlyl connected to the main actuating'shaft 3I' and a pawl 36 is pivoted upon the lower portion thereof asindicated at 31, the lower end of said pawl being normally engaged by gravity with the ratchet wheel 38 which is Xed to the adjacent end of the rubber roll 30, while the upper end 39 of the pawl normally extends above the rearwardly curved central portion 40 of the main actuating arm.

A pawl stop in the form of a stud or the like, as indicated at 4I, is fixed upon the inner side of the adjacent side plate I I in the path of the upper end 39 of the pawl so as to release the lower end of the pawl from engagement with the ratchet 38 at a pre-determined point in the movement of the main actuating arm.

A coil spring 42 is connected at one end to the main actuating arm as indicated at 43 and at its other end to the adjacent side plate II as indicated at 44 so as to normally urge the main actuating arm and operating lever backward to the normal position as indicated in Fig. 1.

At the upper end of the main actuating arm is a rigid nger 45 for operating the ribbon and stamping actuating bar 46 as will be later described. The free upper end of the main actuating arm is forwardly curved as at 41 and has the pawl 48 pivoted thereon as indicated at 49.

The inturned stop lug 50 upon the main actuat- .4 ing arm contacts the forwardly disposed tail 5I of the pawl 48 normally holding said pawl in position so that the tooth 52 thereof depends from the other end of the pawl in position to engage the lug 53 upon the adjacent spinning wheel actuating arm 54 as will -be later described.

These spinning wheel actuating arms correspond in number to the spinning number wheels I3 and are all rigidly connected at their lower ends to the shaft 55 which is journalled in the side plates I I. One or more coil springs 56 are connected to the spinning wheel actuating arms 53 and to the rear portion of the adjacent side plate II for normally holding these arms in the rearward position as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

A pawl 51 is pivoted as at 5B upon the upper end of each actuating arm 54, the lower end 59 of each pawl contacting a stop lug 66 on the actuating arm 54 as shown in Fig. 2.

A ratchet wheel 5I is xed upon each spinning number wheel I3 and arranged to be engaged by the pawl 51 on the corresponding actuating arm 54 when these arms are swung upon their pivotal points as will be later described.

The ribbon and stamping actuating bar 46 is mounted for horizontal movement upon the adjacent side plate II of the frame, said bar having the longitudinal slot 62 therein slidably mounted upon the studs 63 which are attached to the adjacent side plate II'.'

A coil spring 64 is connected to the depending lug 65 near the forward end of the actuating bar 46 and to the adjacent side plate I I at a point toward the rear end of the actuating bar as indicated at 65 for the purpose of normally urging the actuating bar 46 to the rearward or initial position as shown in the drawings.

At the forward end of the actuating bar 46 a pawl 61 is pivoted as at 68 and rests upon the inturned angular stop lug 69 on the actuating bar so that the depending forward end 10 of the pawl will contact the lug 1I on the stamping arm 12, which is pivoted intermediate its ends as at 13 on the adjacent side plate II, a coil spring 14 being connected at its upper end to the lower end of the stamping arm as indicated at 15 and at its lower end to the base plate I0 as indicated at 16 in order to normally urge the stamping arm toward upright position.

The upper end of the stamping arm has a rubber pad 11 thereon located adjacent to the front sides of the printing wheels I5, the paper tape I9 passing down from the paper guide plate 22 between the printing wheels and said rubber pad.

A typewriter ribbon 18 is located between the paper tape and the printing wheels and the ends of said ribbon are wound upon typewriter ribbon spools 19 of any usual and ordinary construction having the usual mechanism (not shown) for unwinding the ribbon from one spool and winding it onto the other spool as is customary in adding machines, cash registers, typewriters and similar machines.

A housing indicated generally at covers the mechanism above described and has at its upper rear portion the window 8I through which one numeral on each spinning number wheel is always visible. This housing also has an opening 82 in its upper forward portion, directly above the paper guide plate 22, the rear portion of said opening being covered by a transparent panel of any suitable material as indicated at 23.

In the operation of the machine the operator writes with a pencil, pen or the like through the front, or uncovered portion, of -.the opening 82 suenan? upon. the: portion of: the. paper tape- 'restingy upon the paper guide. plate. 22, writingy the number which .hey guesses will'lbe displayed. by theV` number wheelsupon thenext operation of the'machine.

He then grasps the knob 34 upon: they top of the' operating' levery and pulls l it forwardstarting the mechanism'. in; operation; As the operating lever. is thusipulled' forward the main actuating 35i movesrl forward vcarrying with it the pawl 36'"which isv engagedv Wit-hf the ratchet Wheelf. 38 upon' the, rubber. roll 30 rotating the rubber roll 'and' through. frictional contact withthe used paper rolll 24 rotating'v the samein a direction'to wind the paper tape thereonvand*'simultaneously unwindi an equal` amount* of the paper tape from the paper stockrollf 2U, moving the number which; the operator' hasy just written upon the paper tape tof a pointbeneath the transparent panel: 83 so. thatl this portion of' the. paper tape is'no longer accessible. toE the operator and' cani- 'not be changed'by him;l althoughv the written number thereonf remains visible through the transparent panel.

TheV rotation of the rubber roll: andthe paper spools is'- stopped' when the upperv end Se; ci the pawl 36'` contacts the pawllstop 4| lifting.l the pawl out of contact with the ratchet wheel 38' stopping` thevmovement of! the rubber roll and the paper tape.

While the above-'operation is taking place the I nger diontheupper end` of the mainv actuating arm 35 has continued to move forward moving with it the ribbon and stamping actuating arm 46, and the depending tooth 52 of the pawl 48 upon the main actuating arm has continued: to

move the. lug 53 on the spinning wheel actuating arm and is moving the pawl forward.

As thismotion continuesthe upper end 'et the stamping. arm 12 is being moved forwardly upon itsf pivot by contact of the forward end 10 of the 'pav/l 61 upon the ribbon and stamping actuating bar.' d6- with the lug 1| on the stamping varm 12.

This movement continues until the pawl 48 on the main actuating bar slips on of the lug 53 on the spinning wheel actuating arm permitting the spring 56 to snap these spinning wheel actuating arms back to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the pawls 51 thereon engaging the ratchets 6I on the spinning number wheels I`3 spinning said wheels independently.

As the wheels come to a stop by means of the balls 84 located within the hollow wheels and each ball comes to rest at the bottom of its wheel within one of the recesses 85 which correspond in position to the numerals on the outside of the wheels, only one numeral upon each wheel will be displayed through the windows BI in the housing 80.

The printing wheels i6, being geared to the respective number wheels by means of sprocket and chain connections illustrated and above described, will have come to rest in such position that the raised numerals or type thereon positioned toward the paper tape will correspond to the numbers on the number wheels displayed through the windows 8|.

As the pawl 61 upon the actuating bar 46 slips from engagement with the lug 1I on the stamping arm, the spring 14 will snap the stamping arm backward striking the paper tape and typewriter ribbon against the printing wheels on the paper type printing on the paper tape the number which is displayed on the number wheels through the window 8|.

The ribbon and stamping actuating bar 48 may operate. the; mechanism (not-iy shui/vnl" for unwinding; the:4 typewriter:A ribbon from one rib'- bun;I spool; and; windingv itifontot theA other' spool 'with each operation.i of; the machine; as is customary inthe, operationr of adding machines, typewriters: andI similarr mechanism.

,It willljbe seeinthatv thevnumber wheels are assured; coming to; rest'. onf' aanumberf and not 'elsewhere by means: of thev ball inside or each wheel tending to come to resi-,"atithe lowest possibleipnint and. stopping: the" wheel in; such; posithatone'or'the recesses 85 therein isalways iattne. bottom of: the wheel and: a numeral on each; wheeiiis.in@` position y.to be displayed through thewindows it-i;`

Itiwillfthusabeiobvious that by. means off a simplernechanism, putrintoimotion by the pulling of thefopemtingfleverg th'enumber which the operatei' has guessed? and written upon the tape is .ixrimediately moved away from the opening 82 toa point where itis still visible but'V inaccessible beneath. thez transparent. panelv 83; the number wheels. are: rotated" and stopped. in such position thatia number madeeupzof; ones numeral; or digit on eaclr: wheel is: displayed through the windows 2851i andi this number is printedl upon the' paper tapeasoi-that'y aprinted record of eachA operator-s guess: and` of; the number which is obtained by that: operation'l off the mahine remains within the: machina uponA the. papery tape;

claim.:

l. vspinning game comprising' a housing, a plintalityl of? in'dependentlyA rotatable number Wheelslirr the housing; a window inthe housing through` whichone number ony each: wheel is displayed; meansforrotatingy the wheels, means for bringing eachiwheei'to a: stop with one of the numbersthereonfdisplayedthrough saidwindbw., there beingT aniopeningfin the housing; means for posi; tioning a paper tape within the housing adjacent tosaidopening, whereby a number may bewrit- 'ten upon: thek paper tape prior to; the rotation. of

"thewheeis, aasecondf win'dowinlthe housing; adj afcent to said opening and having a transparent cover through which the paper tape is visible but normally inaccessible, and means controlled by said means for rotating the wheels for moving the paper tape within the housing toward said last named window to move the written number thereon away from said opening and to a position Where it is visible through the transparent cover of said last named window before the wheels are brought to a stop, whereby said written number will be normally inaccessible but visible for comparison with the numbers on the wheels displayed through the rst named window.

2. A spinning game comprising a housing, a plurality of independently rotatable number wheels in the housing, a window in the housing through which one number on each wheel is displayed, printing means operatively connected to each wheel, means for positioning a paper tape Within the housing adjacent to said printing means, means for rotating the wheels, means for bringing each wheel to a stop with one of the numbers thereon displayed through said window, means operating the printing means for printing said numbers on the paper tape as the wheels are brought to a stop, there being an opening in the housing through which a number may be written upon the paper tape prior to the rotation of the wheels, a second window in the housing adjacent to said opening and having a transparent cover through which the paper tape is visible but normally inaccessible, and means controlled by said means forrotating the wheels for moving the paper tape within the housing toward said last named window to move the written number thereon away from said opening and to a position where it is visible through the transparent cover of said last named window before the wheels are brought to a stop, whereby said written number will be normally inaccessible but Visible for comparison with the numbers on the wheels displayed through the rst named window.

3. A spinning game comprising a housing, a plurality of independently rotatable number wheels in the housing, a window in the housing through which one number on each wheel is displayed, a printing wheel operatively connected to each number wheel, means for positioning a paper tape within the housing adjacent to said printing wheels, means for rotating the number wheels, means for bringing each number wheel to a stop with one of the numbers thereon displayed through said window, means operated by the number wheel rotating means for printing said number on the'paper tape by the corresponding printing wheel, there being an opening in the housing through which a number be written upon the paper tape prior to the rotation of the number Wheels, a second window adjacent to said opening and having a transparent cover through which the paper tape is visible but normally inaccessible, and means controlled by said means for rotating the wheels for moving the paper tape within the housing toward said last named window to move the written number thereon away from said opening and to a position where it is visible through the transparent cover of said second Window prior to the printing operation, whereby said written number will be normally inaccessible but visible for comparison with the numbers on the wheels displayed through the rst named window.

4. A spinning gam'e comprising a housing, a plurality of independently rotatable number wheels in the housing, a Window in the housing through which one number on each wheel is displayed, a printing wheel operatively connected to each number wheel, means for positioning a paper tape within the housing adjacent to said printing wheels, means for rotating the number wheels, means for independently bringing each number Wheel to a stop with one of the numbers displayed through said window, means operated by the number wheel rotating means for printing said number on the paper tape by the corresponding printing wheels, there being an opening in the housing through which a number may be written on the paper tape prior to the rotation of the number wheels, a second window adjacent to said opening and having a transparent cover through which the paper tape is visible but normally inaccessible, and means controlled by said means for rotating the wheels for moving' the paper tape within the housing toward said last named window to move the written number thereon away from said opening and to a position where it is visible through the transparent cover of the last named windoa7 prior to the printing operation whereby said written number will be normally inaccessible but visible for comparison with numbers on the number wheels displayed through the first named window.

WILLIAM J. BALAUN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

